Secrets and Scars
by animefan021513
Summary: Arthur upsets Merlin by getting him wet at the lake. When Gwaine goes to check on Merlin he discovers the scars all over Merlin's torso. What will Gwaine and Arthur discover about Merlin that he didn't want to be known?
1. chapter 1

"Gwaine, if you go too far out we'll never see you again!" Arthur shouts out as he stays close to the shores of the lake.

"Oh, but my dear prince...How will you rescue your fair maiden!?" Gwaine retorts with a wide sarcastic grin.

"Funny, I don't see anything resembling the words fair, nor maiden. Come towards the shore, that way we don't have to worry about you."

"It's only me, you, and Merlin. Also, it was your idea to go for a swim, princess."

"Be that as it may, I'm not coming in to rescue you from the middle of the lake. If I had to do that anyone would easily think I allowed you to drink an entire tavern and go for a swim." Arthur started swimming where he was at. He could touch but just barely.

"Merlin, you look uncomfortably dry up there. Join us!" Gwaine smiles at Merlin who is simply sitting on a blanket just before the shore line.

"I'm fine up here. Besides, if the two of you need anything and it requires being dry...well, I'm already here." Merlin smiles as he inwardly hopes they just leave it at that.

"Very well then" Arthur answers and slowly swims towards where Merlin is. Once he sees that he's not paying attention he goes underwater and jumps in front of Merlin, hoping to get his servant soaked. Once he realizes he's succeeded he laughs. "Gwaine's right, you should join us. Especially now that you're soaked."

"I said no, Arthur. Now I have to dry my clothes...I just washed these." Merlin gets up and walks back over to where they made camp, leaving a confused Arthur and an irritated Gwaine.

"Arthur, perhaps you shouldn't have done that. It's not like he was being stuck up about it. He just didn't want to swim...and who knows...maybe he doesn't know how and didn't want to feel embarrassed. I'm sure there's a lot we don't know about him, simply because we don't ask or because we or rather...you agitate him with what you just did."

"Calm down Gwaine. He's just being Merlin. He's stubborn, pig headed, and not to mention an idiot. He'll bounce back."

Gwaine quickly makes his way out of the water but stops next to Arthur. "I'm not sure if you're aware of this, _Your highness_ , but you just described yourself. He is not a dog, cat, nor any other kind of animal that can simply bounce back and instantly be happy with their master after they've forgotten what happened...and he may not be royal or a knight but he's still human, and perhaps you've forgotten with that rather large royal stick up your arse, but humans below knighthood and royalty have feelings too!"

Slightly stunned at Gwaine's outburst the only thing he asks the only thing that can come out of his mouth at the moment "Hey, where are you going"

"To go find out if Merlin is okay. Not that you care." Gwaine walks up the hill and towards where they had made camp. It was near a cave, and hidden by some trees in case of bandits or if they needed shelter.

"That damn royal prat! This was my favorite shirt too!" Gwaine can hear that Merlin is unhappy so he's careful to tread lightly but soon regrets doing so once Merlin takes his shirt off.

 _'I've been in far more than my share of bar fights and I've never had that many scars!'_ He thinks to himself as he analyzes every scar from the boys hands, arms, shoulders, neck, back, and when he turns to face the fire...his torso. Right in the middle of his chest is a huge burn mark that has healed over time but is clearly still painful. A burn like that would hinder a man from doing much of anything having to do with their arms or heavy lifting, and he knew that's practically all The royal prat had him do.

"Damn, I had just applied medicine to this wound." Gwaine looked to where Merlin was inspecting and he noticed whip marks.

 _'Surely there's no way Arthur...Those are fresh markings...and there are fresh sword and arrow wounds too.'_ Gwaine quickly and quietly made his way back to where he left Arthur.

Once he got there he noticed Arthur drying off and he had already put some of his clclothes on himself.

Arthur looked up at him and noticed the strange look on his knight's face. "What, did Merlin tell you to leave him alone? He always was a..." Before he could finish Gwaine had him pinned to the ground.

"What the hell did you do to him!?" He growls at him as he holds the prince down while trying to keep his voice quiet.

"What are you talking about?"

"Look, I know I'm a drunkard, and I know I may not be the greatest knight, but I am not a damn fool! What did you do to Merlin for him to have so many damn scars!?" Gwaine could see his own tears fall on the king's chest. He didn't want to believe that Arthur could be so cruel and he didn't want to believe that Merlin had been hiding so many scars or why he was hiding them. He just wanted to know what the hell was wrong with his friends. Merlin had been his first real friend, so he was more concerned with him than anything.

"Scars...Gwaine, what are you talking about?"

"Scars, wounds, burns...he has recent scars that would've been caused by a sword, dagger, arrow, and even whip marks. Dear God, Arthur...don't tell em you whip Merlin."

Arthur's face goes visibly pale and he looks at Gwaine with a horrified look. "Whip marks?"

"Y-you didn't..." Realization at Arthur's reaction caused him to loosen his grip in the young king. "You didn't whip him."

Arthur scrambles to sit up and lean against the tree behind him. He places his head in his hands as he looks down to the ground. "Gwaine, I could never...I would never intentionally harm Merlin. Most of the time I wish he would stay out of the damn battle, but he doesn't. I don't ever remember hearing about him getting whipped."

"I suppose you know nothing of the burn mark on his chest either, princess?"

"Burn mark?"

"It practically takes up his entire chest. It looks so deep...I don't know how he's able to do what he does for you. Any other man would find it a strain on their body."

"What do we do, Gwaine? It's not like we can walk right up to him and say, Hey tell us about your scars and how they happened...I just upset him..."

"I don't know...perhaps when we get back we can ask Gaius about it. He would know what's going on."

"That sounds like our best bet..."


	2. Chapter 2

Merlin was just about to head out of his door to go wake Arthur, when the man himself walks through the door. "Merlin, you have the day off. Besides, Gwaine and I wish to speak with Gaius about something."

"Umm...I haven't done anything wrong have I?"

"No, Merlin...we just need to talk with Gaius about something." Gwaine answers as calmly as he can.

"Umm Merlin, perhaps you could help Barnard in the kitchen...One of his staff members got sick just the other day."

"Alright, I'll see you later then."

Once Merlin leaves Gwaine and Arthur sir down at Gaius' table. "Why do I feel like this isn't about you generously giving Merlin the day off?"

"Because it's not." Arthur answers honestly. "The three of us went for a swim yesterday and I...irritated Merlin...soon after that Gwaine went to check on him and he noticed Merlin had a lot of scars...scars that I don't ever recall hearing about...two of which caught us both by surprise...a large burn mark and recent whip marks. I promise you, I have never whipped Merlin."

"I know you would never wish harm upon Merlin...I guess I should at least tell you about the whip marks...as for the burn, you'll have to ask him yourself. That was a more...personal matter."

"I'll take what I can get." Arthur said with a saddened expression.

"Do you remember when I told you about four days ago that Merlin went to visit his mother?"

"Yeah, although I don't see how..."

"I lied."

"But before five days ago Merlin had been missing for..."

"A week...I know...I had to say something. He was out doing work for me. He was gathering herbs when he was captured by bandits. The only thing I could say to you was that he went to visit his mother because she was ill. I knew you would let him be with that reasoning, so it's what I came up with."

"How did Merlin get out, and how long were you going to wait until you decided he needed help? Also, how did you know he was captured in the first place?"

"We were gathering herbs together. I wasn't far but...I couldn't make it in time before he was carried off. I saw the symbols on the carriage and tracked it down myself...I asked...a friend of Merlin's to help find and rescue him, and he did. He then brought him to a nearby clearing and I brought him home. It was the middle of the night when I brought him to his room, so I didn't want to wake you...he had to rest and heal for a few days..."

"Gaius..." Gwaine spoke. "Why would they kidnap him and what did they do to him?"

"They thought that since he was close to the king, they could get more information out of him, information that would possibly lead to Arthur's downfall. They did this...by using torture. He told me what he remembered, which was being whipped and sorcerers using magic on his legs."

"His legs too? And how is it that Merlin's friend survived torturers like those?" Arthur asked.

"His friend is rather strong and skilled. He knew how to find Merlin best and he would do anything for him, all he had to do was ask."

"Why didn't he say anything to me." Arthur asked in almost a whisper.

"He thought that you would probably be mad at him for missing for so long without telling you, and if he did tell you what happened, he knew that it would worry you, and he didn't want that."

"But now I know what happened with the whip marks...did he say anything to them?"

"No, the marks on his legs are a testament to that, because that was the last thing to happen before his friend came to rescue him."

"Great...I have answers _AND_ more questions...How is it that you know Merlin's friend and I don't?"

"Forgive me, Arthur, but it's probably because you never asked...aside from that, I've known his friend longer but Merlin was ever the only one to ever make him...feel wanted or needed. He hurt a lot of people after Merlin helped free him from imprisonment...Merlin forgave him if he promised to stop."

"There's a lot you're not telling us Gaius." Gwaine rose an eyebrow.

"I'd have to agree. I mean this is Merlin we're talking about...how could he free anyone from imprisonment when he is as clumsy as he is? Not only that, but how can Merlin forgive someone who he freed, but ended up hurting a lot of people!?"

"It wasn't easy, I promise you, but I can't say anymore about it. I fear I've already said too much, but I have grown tired of him not telling his friends, you in particular Arthur, what he's holding back. These are things _he_ should've told you."

"Was he ever going to introduce me to this friend of his?"

"Not very likely. It was in Camelot that his friend was freed, so I highly doubt he would've told you. All I can ask is that you don't arrest him."

"Why would I arrest him? I barely know anything at all. After I hear him out, then I'll decide."

"Don't expect it to be that easy, Arthur. He is a stubborn young man, much like yourself."

"Hey, I'm not _that_ stubborn!"

"Oh? Should I tell Sir Gwaine here your embarrassing medicine stories?"

Gwaine perked up real quick and place his elbows on the table and his face in his hands looking at Gaius. "Oh yes, do tell!"

"No, and we're done here. Thank you, Gaius."

"My pleasure." He said with a grin as he went back to what he was doing before.

Once Arthur let go of Gwaine's color and they were standing on the outside of Gaius' door he looked at him with confusion. "How is there so much about Merlin that we don't know? He freed someone from being imprisoned in Camelot, He forgave that person, They became friends, He was tortured, he has a huge burn mark in his chest and many more scars..."

"Arthur, I think you're forgetting something here...and I feel I should say this, because you sound as if your getting angrier at him by the second. Yes he did all of that and all of that has happened to him...but remember that Gaius said he was tortured for information that would lead to your downfall...and he didn't say anything! We don't even know how long he was tortured for but he held on without saying anything...he knows you better than any of us, he could've easily said anything that he knew about you, and he would've been freed of his torment...but he didn't. Which means you need to ask yourself four important questions."

"Which are?" Arthur questioned calmly.

" _Who_ is Merlin under that neckerchief, because I don't think even I could be that strong for that long... _Why_ would Merlin go through torture for you? _What_ has he been hiding just to keep you from worrying about him? and finally, _How long_ has been doing this?"

"You have a point."

"Thank you, princess." Gwaine gave him a sarcastic smile which quickly faded. "Now all we have to do is figure out where he's heading next. It _is_ his day off...do you know where he usually goes when he has free time?"

"He usually goes into the forest and while he's there he picks some extra herbs for Gaius so that he doesn't have to do it the next day."

"How would you know this? Have you been stalking your servant?"

"No, he told me about it when I asked what he was doing in the forest one day...he had herbs with him so I believed him."

"Alright, next stop...the forest!"


	3. Chapter 3

Qwaine and Arthur made their way to the forest, and they decided to go on foot in case Merlin were to hear the horses and run. They wanted to see what he would be doing in the forest, on a day off, after they had asked him to leave so they could talk with Gaius.

They found Merlin's footprints and followed them until they were at a clearing. They hadn't gotten into the clearing though. They hid behind some of the trees and watched as Merlin stood in the middle, looking up into the sky.

Eventually Merlin sat down in the clearing and just continued to look at the sky. Any other day, Arthur would've just headed back but he wanted to see if there was going to be something more here.

They waited behind the trees until it was nightfall, and then they both notice Merlin stand up and take a deep breath in just before shouting to the skies in a strange language and with a type of authority neither of them had ever heard before, let alone assume Merlin could sound like that.

After a few moments they had assumed he had gone mad, but soon they heard a large sound above them and they looked at Merlin who was now smiling, and then a dragon gracefully landed in front of him The same dragon that Merlin had said Arthur defeated..."May I ask Why it is that you've been waiting out here for hours? Where is the young Pendragon?"

"The dragon talks?" Gwaine whispered, but Arthur ignored him. He was too focused on the fact that Merlin was here, in a clearing, talking to a dragon...he was a dragonlord.

"He gave me the day off!" Merlin answered.

"And you spent your day off...in a clearing looking up at the sky?"

"Yeah?"

"Merlin, I can only assume this has something to do with Arthur..."

"I think Arthur may know..."

The dragon lowered his head onto the ground and looked at Merlin with sympathetic eyes. "Why do you not sound pleased?"

"Because he came into Gaius' room just before I was going to go and wake him, and he had Gwaine with him...I'm afraid I've messed up."

"If you had truly messed up in the way you think, we wouldn't be carrying a conversation."

"What do you think I should do?"

"Why are you asking me? He is not part of _my_ destiny. He is a part of _your_ destiny and you are a part of _his._ "

"You know, you're not all that helpful...aren't you supposed to be all knowing and powerful?" Merlin crossed his arms and sat against the dragon's mighty arm.

"You are far more powerful than I and you know it. We are kin you and I, but you know the young Pendragon best...what do you think you should do?"

"I don't know!" Merlin shouted, and the dragon brought his wing towards Merlin and tapped him lightly on the shoulder. "Sorry, its just...it's always do this Merlin, do that Merlin, if not that, then I'm running errands for Gaius and if I'm not doing that I'm either being called Emrys by the druids or I'm talking with you..."

"Emrys? Druids? Dragons? Powerful? Arthur, Who... _what_ is Merlin?" Gwaine whispered and looked over to Arthur, who now wore a heartbroken expression.

"I don't know..."

"Merlin..." The dragon spoke once more. "You and Arthur are..."

"Two sides of the same coin...I know, you've said that."

"I've also said one cannot truly hate that which makes it whole. What is your truest opinion about Arthur, at this moment?"

"Right now?" The dragon nodded and Arthur made sure to pay extra attention to this. "Arthur...he can be a selfish prat, stubborn, willful, pompous, rude, annoying, and he definitely hates magic..."

"But?" The dragon questioned.

"But..." merlin sighed. "He is also selfless, kind, brave, humble at times, reassuring, a good king, and an even greater friend." Merlin smiled proudly and looked up at the dragon.

"What do you think his opinion of you is now, and what do you think it would be if he knew what and who you are?"

Merlin looked at the dragon and then at his shoes. "Now...he probably thinks I'm useless, clumsy, foolish, incompetent, lazy, a good-for-nothing, servant, strange, mental, oh and let's not forget idiot."

"What makes you think such things?"

"He's said them all to me before." Merlin states matter-of-factly, and Arthur can feel his stomach twist in knots. Meanwhile Gwaine just stared at his friend and the dragon with a curious gaze.

"If you say so...what do you think he will think of you if he knew?"

"He would probably try to kill me. I'm not sure if I'd be hung or set to the pyre...and I don't want to have to force him to make that decision."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Uther was his father. His father had very clear views on people like me...I think Arthur still holds true to that and would want to protect his people as his father did."

"Uther Pendragon was a tyrant!"

Merlin patted the dragon's arm. "I know, but he was his father, and hating my kind is all he's ever known. He's even repeated his father's opinion many times...How am I supposed to tell him who and what I am? And as far as opinions go he would think...Liar, traitor, lowlife, scum, unnecessary, unneeded, and evil."

Arthur could tell by the way the moon was shining on Merlin that he was crying despite not sounding like it. It hurt him to hear everything Merlin was saying. It hurt him to the point where he couldn't breathe. "Merlin...I do not believe he would hang you or throw you to the pyre..."

"I wouldn't blame him if he did. I would be heartbroken...but I wouldn't blame him. Plus, even if I did tell him...Why in the hell would he believe me?" Merlin stood up and turned to the dragon, "Right, I'll walk right up to him and say _'Hey, Arthur I'll take your stuff and do my chores for you but I want to tell you something...I'm the last dragonlord, Balinor was my father but he died so I gained his powers, I freed the great dragon and commanded him to leave so he did. Not only that, but I'm a sorcerer, and not just any sorcerer...I'm a warlock which is much more powerful than a sorcerer, not to mention I was born like this and I am the most powerful warlock to ever and probably will ever walk the earth according to an ancient prophecy. The same prophecy that tells of Emrys protecting and guiding the once and future king! Oh, and let's not forget the fun fact where I'm immortal and a creature of magic!"_

The dragon laughed. "It's a start."

"You're having fun with my pain aren't you?"

"Only a little, but I have my reasons... Go on...what else would you say to him? What would you tell him if you were sure he wouldn't throw you into the pyre?"

"I'd probably tell him all of the times I've saved his fat neck _with magic_! The first time it was when that singer came to Camelot who wasn't actually the singer but a witch in disguise, and she was going to kill Arthur, so I slowed down time and pulled him out of the way...Which ironically enough got me the most dangerous job for someone like me. I would tell him that I helped everyone see the snakes appear from the shield during the tournament, so that he wouldn't die and no longer feel like a fool..."

"What else?"

"I would tell him that apparently, according to Gaius...After I had drank from the poisoned chalice...while Arthur was getting me the cure...I would tell him that I'm the one who sent him the ball of light, while I was both dying and unconscious."

"Would you tell him of the burn mark?"

Merlin placed his hand over his chest. "I would tell him that when he received a fatal bite, I went to the isle of the blessed to willingly give my life for his. I didn't know it would be Nimueh...a dangerous high priestess of the old religion. I would tell him that instead of me who died, my mother was in the process if dying...Gaius made it back to the isle before I did to bargain his life for hers and he died...I would tell him that Nimueh tried to get me to join forces with her because we are both creatures of the old religion but I refused because her magic is dark and cruel...I would explain that the mark is the result of a fireball she shot at me..."

"You would have to tell him the rest...go on..."

"I would tell him that without uttering a single word...I called forth a storm and had lightning strike her down and kill her...saving Gaius' life. I would also mention that I am Morgana's greatest fear, because I am the only one who can defeat her...because I am more powerful than her. I don't want him to try and fight her and end up dead...I wish I could tell him, Kilghara."

"I cannot predict every outcome but I can tell you this...I assume it will be far easier to tell the young Pendragon your story."

"Why?"

"I just have a hunch." As Merlin looked down to the ground, the dragon moved his eyes ever so slightly to stare directly at Arthur and the dragon smiled at him, causing an instant chill to go down Arthur's spine.

 _'He knew we were here the whole time...'_


	4. Chapter 4

After Merlin had head back to the castle and the dragon had flown off, Arthur still can't shake the shiver he felt down his spine when the dragon looked at him. The dragon had known they were there the entire time. "Arthur?" Gwaine called and he was snapped out of his mindset.

"Hmm...what is it? You seem lost in thought and bit...tense."

"Um...oh...I don't know, we only figured out a whole lot about Merlin that no one in their right mind could've guessed! Hello? Where have you been that past couple of hours!?"

"Right, Merlin, he..." Arthur could suddenly hear his heart pumping through his entire body over the entire forest. "He thinks I'll throw him into the pyre if I tell him I know...he thinks I would actually kill him..." Arthur collapsed to his knees and looked at his shaking hands. He then looked up at Gwaine who was now holding a hand to his back.

"Arthur...Perhaps you should talk with Merlin tomorrow..."

"And what exactly am I supposed to say? The second I see him, I'm going to be reminded that he _actually_ believes I would kill him. He's not just my servant...he's my friend...and he thinks I can so easily decide to kill him."

"You're also forgetting all the good things he thinks about you. You're forgetting about what he's done for you."

"Dear God...he was going to Nimueh...to bargain his life for mine...he was going to die...he was _prepared_ to die..."

"Arthur, he's still here! That's what's important. He still thinks of you as a great friend!" Gwaine pulled Arthur to his feet, quickly gathering that all of this new information may have been too much for Arthur to handle. "You need to focus on that. We need to get you back now...he'll be waking you up tomorrow as usual and you can talk with Merlin then."

"He has magic, he's a creature of the old religion, he's a creature of magic, he's a dragon lord, he's a warlock, he's more powerful than Morgana, we apparently share a destiny...with all of that power...why has he let me treat him like a servant...and why is he so afraid of _me_ when he could just wave his hand and end me?"

"You'll have to ask him that yourself, princess. Although, with everything I heard...he values your life far more than his own."

"ARTHUR!? ARTHUR ARE YOU OUT HERE?"

"That sounds like Merlin..." Arthur mentioned.

Gwaine turned his head..."Because it is Merlin...Hey there Merlin...we're over here. Princess here decided to go on a late night hunting trip and dragged me out of bed for it."

"Yeah Gaius told me." Merlin looked at Arthur who was glaring at Gwaine. Merlin gave a heavy sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Arthur, it's the middle of the night, you could've been attacked, you're the king...you have to take better care of yourself and be careful in the decisions you make. Camelot would be lost without you."

Quickly realizing Merlin had said that Gaius told him they went hunting he looked at him with a confused expression. "What exactly did Gaius tell you?"

"Well, I went looking for you, and when I went to ask Gaius he told me the two of you _just_ left to go hunting. Tell me, Arthur, do you remember what bandits are, or how many enemies you have? Because I do and they are a royal pain in the ass and if you're not careful that might be a literal phrase for you!"

"We apologize Merlin, he just wanted to clear his head about some things."

"How bad was your discussion with Gaius?" Merlin laughed.

 _'Merlin is laughing, he's smiling, he's so carefree right now. He's also worried that I might've been hurt..._ _He also ran straight towards me despite him thinking that if I found out who and what he is I would kill him..._ ' "Umm...well...it was educational to say the least. I can't say that my mind has been put at ease while I was out here...but a nice walk through the woods helps."

"Uh huh...right? Why are you lying to me? Why are you both lying to me?" Merlin raises his eyebrow and looks between his king and Gwaine.

"What makes you think I'm lying?" Arthur asks. _'Is he using magic right now to see if I'm lying?'_

"Because I know you. You never think a 'walk' in the woods is 'nice' You actually hate it. You only ever go in the woods if your hunting something or if your going after someone...so who was it you were after?"

 _'He didn't use magic on me...'_ "We heard there were bandits nearby and we didn't want to alert them by riding horses so we traveled here on foot. We were just about to head to their last known location when..."

"No you weren't." Merlin interrupted. "I was just out here."

 _'I guess now is a perfect time...perhperhaps he won't think i want to kill him...'_ "And what were you doing out here Merlin?"

"I was talking with a friend."

"What's your friend's name?"

Merlin smiled as he crossed his arms. "His name is Kilghara." He answered honestly.

"Strange name."

"Yeah, so is the name Gwaine or Merlin."

"You've got me there my friend. So, now that we've all been found out, lets head to bed."

"You still haven't told me what you were doing out here."

"I'm the king Merlin, I don't have to give a reason."

"Tell that to your people." He muttered under his breath but Arthur could still hear it.

"Merlin..." Arthur started as they were walking back. "...Do you think I'm a good king? Be honest please..."

"Are you sure you want me to..."

"Yes...Be honest with me. It is just you, me, and Gwaine."

"You can be a selfish prat, stubborn, willful, pompous, rude, annoying, but you are also selfless, kind, brave, humble at times, reassuring, and what I believe to be a great king." Merlin answered honestly and made sure that Arthur could hear him speak, by saying it slower than he wanted to.

 _'That was almost exactly what he told the dragon.'_ "Will I ever figure you out Merlin?"

"I hope not." He smiled at Arthur but Both Arthur and Gwaine just looked at each other. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, it was one of the things Arthur wanted to clear his head about."

"Ah, well I hope I answered your question well enough...it is just _my_ opinion after all."

They went back to the palace together. Gwaine knew that tomorrow, Arthur would want to talk to Merlin alone and Merlin had know idea the kind of questions he'd be in for tomorrow.


	5. Chapter 5

"Rise and shine, Arthur?" Merlin drew apart the curtains, Knowing it irritates him and smiles when he hears a grumbling Arthur. "You have hunting trip planned for today and training with the knights.

"Cancel all of that." Arthur said as he sat up and held a hand to his head. He hadn't slept well, because he was kept up all knight from everything he had discovered.

Merlin started to pour Arthur a glass of water and instead of leaving it on the table, he brought it to him. "Are you alright, Arthur?"

He gladly took the cup from Merlin's hand and drank some of it before giving his answer. "Honestly, no."

"Oh. Is it something I can help with?"

Arthur looks up from his cup and searches Merlin's face for any signs of betrayal. Once he doesn't see anything there, he looks back into his cup. "Perhaps..." He moves to the side of the bed a little and pats the open space he made. "...Sit."

"Umm...okay, you must _really_ not be feeling well." Merlin smiled, and sat where Arthur asked him to. "What is it?"

"Merlin...May I ask your opinion again?"

"Of course."

"I have unfortunately come to realize that I don't know the people in my life the way I thought I knew them, and I want to know what you would do if what's happened to me...happened to you."

"Sure, but why ask me?"

"Because...I've known you longer. Sometimes I think you know me best...So, will you listen?"

"Well, considering you just cancelled the rest of your day away, I don't see why not."

"Good..."

"Arthur?"

"Yes?"

"You were going to ask me a question?"

"Ah, right...So, what would you do if you found out that someone you knew trusted someone else more than you, yet they still call you friend?"

Merlin leaned back a little looking at the top of Arthur's bed frame. "Hmm...Well, I would probably wonder their reasoning. I would also have to determine if the new person can be trusted with my friend, and chances are if my friend trusted someone else more, that would probably mean that this new person has something unique to give my friend that I can't give. I would feel heartbroken, but if that new person makes my friend happy I think I'd like to meet them to see what's so trustworthy."

"What would you do if the new person was a sorcerer?"

At this Merlin rubbed the back of his neck and gave a nervous laugh. "My opinion on magic...is different from yours, Arthur."

"So tell me. I promise I will not harm you."

Merlin gave a slight smile and nodded. "If I found out this new person, who my friend trust very much, was a sorcerer I would try to make sure of a few things...is my friend enchanted, is he being forced to trust this new person, and is it what they truly want...if none of the answers are bad then I would have to believe in my friend. There is probably a rereason why they didn't tell me, and I'm sure they will in his own time."

"What _is_ your opinion on magic, Merlin? just out of curiosity?"

Hoping Arthur stays true to his word, he decides to answer honestly. "Well, I know that all you've really ever seen is when magic has been used for evil, but I believe it can be used for good. I think magic is a lot like your sword or any other sword."

"In what way?"

"Well, you use your sword to defend and protect. Others may use a sword to attack and kill. It is a tool that can be used for either side. I just don't see why so many choose to use it for evil. Anyway, is there anything else you wwanted to ask?"

"Yeah..." Arthur answered, slightly shocked at Merlin's reply. "What would you do if you learned something important that you didn't know aboit your friend?"

"Like?"

 _'Damn...um...'_ "Well, what if you discovered that he was actually a royal the entire time?"

"How long have you been friends with them?"

"Seems like forever..." He answers as he looks down at his hands, remembering how much they were shaking last night...today is no different.

"I think I would feel betrayed, but if I've known someone like you know your friend...I would try and understand exactly why it was kept a secret. Something that important should have a reasonable explanation."

"You think so? I thought I knew him...but it turns out I knew very little."

"Well, do you trust him?"

"With my life." He answers with a dry laugh. "However, he doesn't trust me."

"What makes you say that?"

"He thinks that if I find out who he really is...a royal...that I would either try and use him, that I would no longer care for him, and that I could easily toss him out of my life after such a long friendship. I overheard him talking with...a few druids...one of which he seemed to trust a great deal more than me."

"Again, there is probably a logical explanation. It may be a painful one, but logical, for starters...you are a royal just like him and he trusts someone who practices magic...he perhaps doesn't want to risk his friendship for those very reasons. He hadn't told you about being a royal, fine...you can get over that and create a new friendship with it...but you still don't trust magic...and your friend does. He probably knows how much you value him and he doesn't want you to have to choose between friendship or your values as well as the law...Can I ask you something, Arthur? Like you've been asking me?"

"Umm...sure?"

"Well, what would you do if your friend _was_ a sorcerer instead of simply knowing one?"

"I would ask why he didn't tell me...but I would already know the answer...I would probably then ask him why he would choose to be friends with me of all people, but then again...you're my best friend...Warlock or not and I refuse to throw you in the pyre."

"Wait...what? Arthur you...I'm not a...

"Yesterday Gwaine and I followed you into the forest because when we were at the lake he saw your scars...when we went to ask Gaius about it he only told us about the whip marks...so...we followed you and waited near a clearing for something to happen and then we see you call the bloody dragon and we watch you vent. My friend I've been talking about...is you. Though you aren't a royal you are a lord...a dragonlord."

"Y-you followed me? On my day off?"

Arthur couldn't help but laugh at his friend. He laughed until it hurt to breathe and everytime he looked up he kept seeing such a displeased look on Merlin. "T-Thats what you got from that? Of course that's what you got from it! You're the most powerful creature of magic yet somehow you are still an idiot."

"HEY! I've saved your life more times than i care to count."

"Oh, I believe it!"

The rest of the day they fought and argued but mostly talked about Merlin being a warlock and everything he's done for Arthur...but neither of them knew that since they started talking that there was an amused Gwaine, and a proud Gaius just outside the door...and off into a far distance a powerful and humorous dragon breathing out the words, "Finally!"


End file.
